Singer/songwriter Sidibe first introduced us to her latest project with her singles “Maybe”, “I’m Only Dreaming” and “You Wanna Love Everybody”. “I’m Only Dreaming” was hand picked by Prince as his Purple Pick of the week and included in his personally curated playlist. As it turns out, this was Prince’s last cosign before his tragic passing. Sidibe is unsure how Prince discovered her song. She said, “I am an independent artist with no PR team, so how we connected musically will always be a mystery to me. Nobody sent him my music. Maybe he saw my feature on Okayplayer. I’ll never know. But just knowing that Prince loved my music is the greatest gift I have ever received. I only wish that I could have thanked him for that and for the endless inspiration he has given us all. Like the rest of the world, I miss his presence.”

There is no mystery behind Sidibe’s EP You Got the Luck. It represents the culmination of a musical journey for Sidibe that included years of writing, digging deep into musical vaults and travels to Senegal where she connected with family and culture. Sidibe shared this about her experiences in Senegal, “After leaving my deal with Universal, I reached a low point. Then one day I woke from a dream where I saw myself in Africa and I knew I had to go. My time in Senegal resulted in a rebirth for me and I came back ready to take control of my creative process. I began believing in myself as much as other people had.”

Another turning point in Sidibe’s journey was the relationship she formed with Finnish producer Nico Stadi. Although they came from opposite sides of the world, they instantly connected over their shared love of R&B, soul, funk, jazz and all things Michael Jackson and Prince.

For You Got the Luck, Sidibe and Nico Stadi brought in Grammy winning producers Warryn Campbell and Jack Splash. Sidibe describes the project as a true labor of love, “I didn’t have a budget and that was a challenge. But I was surrounded by supremely talented people and that was a blessing. We recorded in borrowed studios. My friends gifted me with their incredible talents on bass, guitar, sax, flute and strings. All along the way, generous people stepped up and offered to help just because they believed in me and the music. I will always be grateful. And I think that in the end, the music is better because it came from such a place of authenticity, joy and love.”

Already Sidibe has heard descriptions of You Got the Luck that range from euphoric to other-worldly. Most find it difficult to find a single genre that describes the seven songs on the EP. Sidibe explains, “I don’t think about genres. I just create from the most honest place I can find. I consider it planetary music because I want it to reach people around the planet.” About the vocals, Sidibe said, “I am a five octave vocalist and my voice is my instrument. You Got the Luck gives people an opportunity to experience the range and dynamics of my voice.”

Push play and take a 30 minute aural excursion. After just one listen, you will know that you have the luck.